Tech Support Pits:

From Fran===
Dear Webby
What is better, a camera that downloads directly to the
computer, or a camera where you have to remove a chip
and copy from that into the computer. one of my friends
has one type, another friend has the other type, and of
course each claims their version is better.
What is YOUR recommendation ?
Fran

Dear Fran
The better cameras offer both methods, but if you have
a choice, you throw away the camera-to-computer cable.
(Keep the camera-to-TV cable)

If you are limited to downloading directly to the computer
via a very special cable and program, you are totally out
of luck if your camera's memory is full while you are on a
canoe trip and don't have the computer along.

If you have removable chips, you pop out the full chip and
push in the next one. Those memory chips are very sturdy,
and they just fit into the parking meter change pockets 
that you get on some belts. 

A memory chip reader is $12 - $15 and reads 8MB to 1GB
memory chips. Personally, I use mostly 256 MB chips,
and I also use them instead of floppies. Yep, no more slow
and fragile 1.4 MB floppies if you can use 256 MB chips 
that run at the speed of a hard drive.

When you slide that memory chip into the reader or the 
computer, you instantly have an extra harddrive. You can
then copy the pictures from the chip or even edit them 
right on the chip.

Have FUN
Dear Webby